William Garvey

Like goldfinches to suet, business jets are drawn to gold, and Abu Dhabi, arguably the richest member of the United Arab Emirates, is capitalizing on that feeding habit. The city/state is in the middle of a multi-year, $50 million-plus project to transform its original international airport into the region's premier executive jet facility, the only such dedicated airport in the Middle East.

Constructed in the 1960s just a few miles southeast of city center, Al Bateen served as the capital's primary airport until Abu Dhabi International opened for business 20 mi. east of the city in 1982. At that point, the close-in airport, which features a single, 10,499-ft.-long runway, began operation as a military air base, primarily handling transport and cargo aircraft.

In 2006, the Abu Dhabi Airports Co. (ADAC) was formed, charged with developing the Emirates aviation industry, including Al Bateen. The changeover from military to executive airport began two years later. Today, only a handful of UAE Navy and Italian air force C-130s remain, and these are scheduled to transfer permanently in the near future, thereby completing the transition.

While the military base featured an ornate, airside VIP reception building for visiting sheikhs and other dignitaries, there was neither a sophisticated fixed-base operation (FBO) nor business jet maintenance capability, which have come to be standard features in Western business aviation infrastructure. Eager to attract aircraft and passengers from Europe and North America, as well as the Middle East to what was renamed Al Bateen Executive Airport, ADAC began a major construction and commercial development program, which is still underway.

Among its first moves was to establish a Category 1 instrument landing system (ILS), a key element in guaranteeing the airport's promise of continuous operation, day and night, throughout the year, despite occasional sandstorms, fog and haze. The ILS also assures approaching aircraft will remain well clear of the blazing white, expansive Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque—eighth largest in the world—just west of the extended centerline to Runway 13/31. The airport also features non-precision approaches.

The next major undertaking was construction of DhabiJet, the ADAC-owned FBO. Similar in style and amenities to its Western counterparts, it offers a full range of features including pilot and passenger lounges, planning rooms, catering, concierge services, limousine service, and on-site immigration and customs support. The VIP reception and meeting terminal is adjunct to it.